About this quote

Sharper writing comes from cutting weak intensifiers. If a sentence leans on 'very' to carry feeling, the underlying word is probably weak. Want a quick test? Delete 'very' and read the line out loud — often the sentence still works or a single stronger word will do the job. If an editor then removes your substitute and the line still stands, you just found where the clutter was.

When to use it

• At work reviewing a client report, I told the team, 'Hunt down the 'very's and tighten those sentences' — the executive summary read clearer after we cut them.
• When polishing my college essay, I circled every 'very' and swapped three for stronger verbs, then told my tutor, 'See how the voice feels tighter now?'
• Helping my teenager with a short story, I suggested deleting the 'very' in one paragraph; they were surprised how much sharper the image became.
• Before a pitch, I scanned the deck for 'very' and either removed or reworded those lines so the presentation sounded more confident.